Ministry of Railways
Parcel Trains providing big boost to transportation of essential commodities and other goods in times of lock down due to COVID -19
10 routes for Time Tabled Parcel Trains are planned and tentative 18 new routes are planned for Special Parcel Trains to keep supply chains running
So far, Indian Railways has loaded 30 Special Parcel Trains to various destinations all over the country
Indian Railways has also been running Parcel trains for Milk and Food Products as per demand of customers
Railways all geared up to meet the demands of State Governments for Parcel Trains for short distance movement within the State
Staff Manning these operations braving all challenges in COVID 19 lock down times to ensure citizens don't feel shortage of essential goods.
During the lockdown in the wake of COVID19, Indian Railways is offering its unhindered services of Parcel Trains for nationwide transportation of essential commodities and other goods required to meet the needs of citizens of the nation. Indian Railways is already transporting essential commodities to different parts of the country through freight trains. While these freight operations of Railways are meeting the needs of bulk transportation of essential goods like foodgrains, edible oil, salt, sugar, coal, cement, milk, vegetables & fruits etc, parcel trains are transporting various items that need to be delivered in comparatively smaller quantities.
So far, Indian Railways has loaded 30 Special Parcel Trains to various destinations all over the country, the details as under:
|
|
S.No.
|
|
Origin
|
|
Destination
|
|
Commodity
|
|
1
|
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Palanpur 
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|
Palwal 
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|
Milk
|
|
2
|
|
Jalgaon
|
|
New Guwahati
|
|
Miscellaneous Commodities
|
|
3
|
|
New Tinsukia
|
|
Godhani 
|
|
Miscellaneous Commodities
|
|
4
|
|
Karambeli 
|
|
New Guwahati
|
|
General Goods
|
|
5
|
|
Dahanu Road 
|
|
BariBrahman 
|
|
Dry Grass
|
|
6
|
|
Kankaria 
|
|
Bhimsen 
|
|
Milk Products
|
|
7
|
|
Palanpur 
|
|
Palwal 
|
|
Milk
|
|
8
|
|
New Guwahati
|
|
Karambeli 
|
|
Miscellaneous Products
|
|
9
|
|
Palanpur 
|
|
Palwal 
|
|
Milk
|
|
10
|
|
Renigunta
|
|
Nizamuddin
|
|
Milk
|
|
11
|
|
Palanpur 
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|
Palwal 
|
|
Milk
|
|
12
|
|
Palanpur
|
|
Palwal 
|
|
Milk
|
|
13
|
|
Salem
|
|
Bathinda
|
|
Agri Seeds
|
|
14
|
|
Moga
|
|
Changsari 
|
|
Milk Products
|
|
15
|
|
Kankaria 
|
|
Sankrail
|
|
Milk Powder
|
|
16
|
|
Dahanu Road 
|
|
BariBrahman 
|
|
Dry Grass
|
|
17
|
|
Bhopal
|
|
Gwalior
|
|
Fruits
|
|
18
|
|
Godhani 
|
|
New Tinsukia
|
|
Miscellaneous Commodity
|
|
19
|
|
Nangal Dam
|
|
Changsari 
|
|
FMCG Products
|
|
20
|
|
Chennai
|
|
New Delhi
|
|
Miscellaneous Commodity
|
|
21
|
|
Yeswanthpur
|
|
Howrah
|
|
Miscellaneous Commodity
|
|
22
|
|
Bandra Terminus
|
|
Ludhiana
|
|
Medical Goods/Masks
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|
23
|
|
Rewa
|
|
Anuppur
|
|
Miscellaneous Commodity
|
|
24
|
|
Bhopal
|
|
Khandwa
|
|
Miscellaneous Commodity
|
|
25
|
|
Itarsi
|
|
Bina
|
|
Miscellaneous Commodity
|
|
26
|
|
Chennai Egmore
|
|
Nagercoil
|
|
Medicine and Books
|
|
27
|
|
Salem
|
|
Hisar
|
|
Agri Seeds
|
|
28
|
|
New Delhi
|
|
Howrah
|
|
Miscellaneous Items
|
|
29
|
|
Karambeli 
|
|
Changsari 
|
|
Miscellaneous Items
|
|
30
|
|
Palanpur 
|
|
Palwar 
|
|
Milk
Staff Manning these operations have been braving numerous challenges in COVID 19 lock down times to ensure citizens don't feel shortage of any essential goods.
Encouraged by the outstanding performance of its employees, Zonal Railways have now started running Time tabled Parcel Trains from 31st March, 2020. The Time Tabled Train routes are as under:
|
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S.No.
|
|
Origin
|
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Destination
|
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Frequency/ Route
|
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1
|
|
Bandra Terminus
|
|
Ludhiana
|
|
Thrice a week 
|
|
2
|
|
Delhi
|
|
Howrah
|
|
Twice a week
|
|
3
|
|
Yeswanthpur
|
|
Howrah
|
|
Twice a week ,
|
|
4
|
|
Secunderabad
|
|
Howrah
|
|
weekly
|
|
5
|
|
Sankrail 
|
|
Guwahati
|
|
weekly
|
|
6
|
|
Chennai
|
|
Delhi
|
|
weekly
|
|
7
|
|
Kankariya 
|
|
Sankrail
|
|
weekly
|
|
8
|
|
Kalyan
|
|
Sankrail 
|
|
Weekly 
|
|
9
|
|
Kalyan
|
|
Changsari
|
|
Weekly 
|
|
10
|
|
Karambeli
|
|
Changsari
|
|
weekly
In order to ensure speedy delivery and availability of vital goods and commodities across the nation in the times of Lockdown to fight COVID- 19 , Indian Railway is identifying routes for other areas as well. Special Parcel Trains can also be planned as per the demand. Special Parcel trains to connect vital corridors have been identified by Zonal Railways like :
- New Delhi - Guwahati
- New Delhi- Mumbai Central
- New Delhi-Kalyan
- Chandigarh - Jaipur
- Moga - Chhangsari
- Kalyan - New Delhi
- Nashik - New Delhi
- Kalyan - Santraghachi
- Kalyan - Changsari
- Coimbatore-Patel Nagar 
- Patel Nagar  – Coimbatore
- Coimbatore - Rajkot
- Rajkot- Coimbatore
- Coimbatore - Jaipur
- Jaipur- Coimbatore
- Salem – Batinda
- Kankari-Ludhiana
- Sankrail – Bengaluru
- Any other route as per the demand.
Indian Railways has also been running other Parcel trains as per demand of customers during this period - which include:
a) ‘Milk Specials’ from Palanpur  to Palwal , and from Renigunta  to Delhi
b) Milk products from Kankariya  to Kanpur  and Sankrail 
c) Food products from Moga  to Changsari 
Zonal Railways have been reaching out and coordinating with State Governments to identify the transportation requirement for short distance within the state. On the request of Madhya Pradesh State Government, West Central Railway has taken an initiative of running 5 Parcel specials within Madhya Pradesh on following routes:
- Bhopal- Gwalior
- Itrasi- Bina
- Bhopal- Khandwa
- Rewa- Anooppur
- Rewa- Singrauli
It may be noted that special Parcel Services of Indian Railways are running with as per the time table.
These timetabled trains are having pre defined scheduled stoppages. Any commodity can be booked in any quantity 'from' or 'to' any of these stations. All efforts are made to move the commodities in an efficient manner for timely delivery of stock.
Local industries, e-commerce companies, any interested groups, organizations, individuals and prospective loaders can also contact Railway officials at zonal level, contact details of Railway officials at various stations have also been circulated and made available so that anyone can contact to load the parcel. Zonal Railways are reaching out prospective clients through various modes of communication including advertisements.